From: RAKNGLTF@aol.com
Date: Thu, 10 Aug 1995 13:05:50 -0400
Subject: NGLTF's Creating Change in Nov.
NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE
Press Release
Contact: Robin Kane, 202-332-6483, ext. 3311; rkane@ngltf.org
ACTION-PACKED CREATING CHANGE CONFERENCE
JUST AROUND THE CORNER
Early Bird Reduced Registration Deadline Approaches
Washington, D.C. -- August 10, 1995 -- Creating Change, the pre-eminent
national organizing conference of gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender activists,
is just around the corner -- November 8 through 12 in Detroit, Michigan.
This eighth annual conference, sponsored by the National Gay and Lesbian
Task Force, will draw hundreds of activists from around the country to share
skills, stories and strategies. To qualify under the "early bird" reduced
registration fee, registration must be postmarked by September 1, 1995.
Creating Change is more than just a series of workshops -- participants can
fill their days with keynote speakers, all-day intensives, movies, networking
caucuses, informal brown bag sessions, and cultural events. And Creating
Change regulars know that important ideas and contacts are gained during the
ever-popular hall networking and cruising. Here are some of the events of
special interest during this year's Creating Change:
**Special Guest Speakers. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, an openly lesbian member of
the Wisconsin State Assembly; Harry Brittt, former member of the San
Francisco Board of Supervisors who currently occupies the "Harvey Milk Chair
of Activism and Social Change"; Elias Farajaje-Jones, a self-described
"Spanish-speaking afrikan native-american and an anarchist guerrilla
theologian/AIDS terrorist/writer/cultural critic/performance artist/ritual
technician/ two-spirit/queer-identified bisexual man" whose profile in the
recent Newsweek cover story on bisexuality sparked a bigoted editorial in the
Indianapolis Tribune; and Urvashi Vaid, former executive director of NGLTF
and author of the forthcoming Virtual Equality: The Mainstreaming of Gay and
Lesbian Liberation.
**Hot Talks. participants can tussle with the movement's best minds and
most vexing issues: From Military to Marriage -- Can This Army of Lovers Fail
Again? with Tim McFeeley, former executive director of the Human Rights
Campaign Fund
Movement Dysphoria: Liberation Is A Many-Gendered Thing with Riki Anne
Wilchins of Transexual Menace
Prevention v. Pleasure? Safe Sex/Sex Clubs Debate: 1995
Amendment 2/Issue 3 Go to Washington
What Do Affirmative Action, Welfare Rights, Immigration and Gay Rights Have
In Common?
**Board/Leadership Development Seminar. This session will feature
organizational development guru Karl Mathiasen, of the Management Assistance
Group in Washington, DC.
**Skills-Building Intensives. All-day sessions in Fundraising, Campaign
Skills, Speakers' Bureaus and Campus Organizing.
**Organizing Roundtables. These sessions are designed to focus on "what's
next?" in addition to "how-to" in Workplace Organizing, Rural Organizing,
People of Faith, the Freedom to Marry, and Anti-Violence Organizing.
**Digital Queers Computer Training Center. Back by popular demand! The
folks of DQ offer hands-on training to learn about e-mail, basic computing
skills, the Internet, hardware/software and all that goes with it.
**Media Action Clinics. Led by Robert Bray, NGLTF field organizer and
long-time media advocate, this sessions will offer customized service for
organizations seeking to improve their media activism and public relations.
The workshops are designed for groups that want to garner better press
coverage, spin proactive messages to the media, and shape public opinion
locally and around the state. Participation will be limited and selected on a
first come/first serve basis. Session topics will include: anti-gay
initiatives and effective media messages; battle of the words--fighting
anti-gay rhetoric; media brush-up; smile, you're on camera--TV media
activism.
"This is destined to be the best and biggest Creating Change ever," said
Creating Change director Sue Hyde. "It will give us all an opportunity to
examine the important emerging issues in this movement, such as Amendment 2
at the Supreme Court, marriage, family issues and the debate over the public
schools. To every activist who has a success story to share or a question to
ask, I say, 'Don't miss it--come to Detroit!'"
For more information or to receive a Creating Change 1995 registration
brochure, call 202/332-6483, ext. 3329.
The plenary speeches and Saturday night gala will be ASL interpreted. Sign
language interpreters will also be available to accompany participants to
individual workshop and small group sessions. For pre-conference institutes,
interpretation will be provided if requested before October 20.
To reserve a room at Detroit's Westin Hotel, Renaissance Center, call
800/228-3000; mention "National Gay & Lesbian Task Force" to get the special
conference room rates of $80/single & double; $90/triple & quad.
--end--
[The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is a leading progressive
organization that has supported grassroots organizing since 1973]